Pacifiers have been available in many different configurations. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,645,613, 5,078,734, 5,123,915 and 5,176,705 describe how basic pacifier configurations may be modified to allow for the dispensing of small quantities of medicine. The embodiments disclosed in the aforesaid patents generally consist of a perforated nipple member together with a separate flange member for preventing ingestion of the nipple member and a separate closure member for the nipple member for avoiding loss of the medicine or other liquid. The disclosed configurations are fairly complex to manufacture and difficult to assemble due the number of separate components, and the relatively small closure member is susceptible to ingestion should it become detached from the rest of the pacifier assembly. Thus a need has existed to provide a dispensing pacifier which is simpler and cheaper to manufacture and assemble and which has no small elements which may easily become detached from the rest of the pacifier.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing pacifier with fewer component parts than prior art devices.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a closure member for a dispensing pacifier which is connected with at least one other member of the pacifier.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a dispensing pacifier which is cheaper to manufacture than prior art devices.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a dispensing pacifier which is easier to clean and reassemble than known prior art devices.